Process of preserving wood



UNTTED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

JOSEPH P. CARD, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

PROCESS OF PRESERVING WOOD.

EiPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 317,440, dated May 5, 1885.

Application filed April 30, 1883. (Specimens) I To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J osnrn P. CARD, of St. Louis, Missouri, have made a new and useful Improvement in \Vood-Preserving, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention is an improved mode of introducin g dead-oil, and preferably in conjunction with a soluble antiseptic, into wood, andmore especially into long timbers, piles, and railway-ties. By means of it the dead-oil is introduced more economically and thoroughly into the wood, the outer portion of the wood is impregnated with the deadoil, and the central portion of the wood is mainly impregnated with the soluble antiseptic.

The process is as follows:

The wood to be preserved is subjected to the usual preliminary treatment to remove therefrom the moisture and air. After this I run into the cylinder containing the wood dead-oil, and by pressure or vacuum, or both, cause the oil to be introduced into the outer ends of the pores of the wood to such an extent as may be desired, but not to the extent of impregnating the wood throughout its central portion. The oil is then removed from the cylinder and a soluble antiseptic solution, suitable for wood-preserving in conjunction with dead oil, and preferably a zinc'chloride solution, suitable for wood-preserving, is run into the cylinder. Then, and by maintaining a pressure within the cylinder, the soluble antiseptic is caused to enter the wood and made to pass through and beyond the first-named fluid into the central portion of the wood 5 for the dead-oil adheres to the fiber, and the soluble antiseptic is forced through it into the central portion of the wood, and the result is the outer portion of the wood is impregnated with the dead-oil, and the central portion of the wood is mainly impregnated with the soluble antiseptic; and the dead-oil, by reason of the introduction of the second fluid, is distributed farther into the wood than if the second fluid had not been ii'itroduced; and so far as s'uch distribution of the dead-oil farther into the wood is concerned, the second fluid employed may be any fluid which can be injected into the wood and is not injurious thereto, or to the dead-oil.

In carrying out the present process the dead-oil is preferably run into the cylinder rapidly, and when, by measurement, it is found that the wood has taken a su'mcient amount for the purpose required the oil is at once withdrawn from the cylinder. After a little practice it is readily determined how much oil the wood takes while the cylinder is being filled, and by means of a gage attached to the reservoir from which the oil is taken it can be readily determined how much oil passes into the cylinder after it has been filled, and, therefore, how much has passed into the wood. Under some circumstances a short bath suffices; under other circumstancesa longer bath is required. This depends upon the circumstances and conditions under which the wood is to be used, and the amount of oil that is to be placed in the wood. The pressure also may be varied. As soon as the pressure is removed and the oil withdrawn from the cylinder such oil as may have entered the wood remains substantially in situ, and of itself is not difl'used farther into the wood.

To give a practical illustration of the workmaintain a pressure therein upon the oil untilthere has been injected into the log, say, one gallon or one and one half gallon of dead oil to the cubic foot, after which remove the oil from the cylinder and fill the cylinder with a solution of chloride of zinc, and produce and maintain pressure in the cylinder upon the chloride-of-ziuc solution of from eighty to one hundred pounds to the inch for two and onehalf hours, or until the log has taken three gallons or two and one-half gallons to the cubic foot of the chloride-of zinc solution. It will be found that the oil has impregnated the sap portion of the wood to the depth of about an inch from end to end of the log, and has passed into the ends of the heart portion of the log to the extent of fifteen to eighteen inches, and that the central portion of the log is mainly impregnated with the chloride-of-zinc solution. My Etlill in thus introducing the dead-oil into the outer portion of the wood is, first, to prevent the soluble antiseptic in the central portion of the wood from beingchemicnlly chnn ged or washed out and, second, to get the benefit of dead'oil in wood-preserving at a minimum expense.

I claim- 1. The herein-described mode ofintroducing deadoil into wood for its preservation, which consists in introducing dead-oil into the wood, and then, by the introduction of a second fluid into the wood, causing the dead-oil to be distributed farther into the Wood.

2. The herein-described mode of introducing liquid dead-oil into wood for its preservation, which consists in introducing liquid dendoil into the wood, and then, by the introduction of n soluble antiseptic solution suitable for wood'preserving; in conjunction with deadoil, causing the dead-oil to be distributed farther into the wood, substantially as described.

JOS P. CARD.

' Witnesses:

O, D. MooDY, 'lnos. L. JoNEs. 

